Automobile.



B. A. ALPERI'N.

AUTOMOBILE. APPLIOATION' Hmm 11.53.13. 190s.

Patented 001;. 12,1909.

a SHEETS-SHEET In vntor 5067273,

Witnesses. UM/L- @www B. A. ALPERIN.

AUTOMOBILE. APPLIoATIoN FILED MAR. 1s, 190s.

Witnesses.

B. A. ALPERIN.

AUTGMOBILE.

APPLIoATIon rILnn 11.13.13. 190s. 986,595. Patented oct.12,19o9. a sums-'SHEET a.

Il o l o o o 0 o o 1 QwM.

BERNARD A. .ALPERIN, F NEW YORK, N. Y

AUTOMOBILE.

Specication of `Letters Patent.A

Patented oet. 12, i909.

Application filed March 13, 1908. Serial No. 420,760. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'BERNARD A. ALPERIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, inthe county of New York 35 and Statel of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobiles, of whichv thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates especially to the running gear of motor vehicles; and has for its object to provide an improved construe! tion in the type of such vehicles in which the power is transmitted from a motor to all of the four driving wheels.

In the accompanying drawings representing embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 shows the chassis of a motor vehicle inside elevation. Fig. 2 is aplan view `of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view in plan,

partly in section showing one of the axles and connected parts. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3 bein shown partly 1n section. Fi 5 is a vertical section, partly in elevation of a hub and its knuckle joint. Fig. 6 is a sectional view,

artly in elevation, of the inner part of the differential. Fig. 7 shows in vertical section, partly in elevation one form of transmission with the connected shafts. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a planetary transmission. Fig. 9 is a fragmentaryV view showing in plan parts of the steering mechanism. Fig.

1.0 also shows a detail of the steering mechanism. Fig. 11 shows the lock plate for the hub of the wheel.

The chassis is shown as comprising a frame member 2 supporting a motor denoted generally by 3, that may be of the usual ver-- tical cyhnder such as steam engine or electric motor type; or any other des1red form; the driving shaft 4 ofthe motor at the rear end being connected with the various transmis; sion members, so as to drive both the front and rear wheels. A gearmember is rovided comprising two short shafts, one o the shafts being connected with the engine shaft by an intermediate shaft having universal joints at each end.J The second saidshaft driven from lthe first shaft preferably by gearing, is v connected with a differential driving member on the front and also the rear axle members and ineach of said connections there is lncluded la shaft having a universal joint connectlon at each end. I

preferably arrange this said gear4 connection;

' below the line of the engine shaft, yetabove mid-way between such levels, whereby the connectlng shaft from the engine shaft is inclined downward at a slight angle, and the two other said -connecting shafts from this gear member inclined slightly downward and at a similar angle, to the differential members on the two axle members.

Where the motor is of the explosive type, iti is necessary to provide means for disconnectingthe engine and also to provide several' dlfferent speeds. In Figs. 1, 2 ,and 7 a selective sliding gear form of transmission is shown, while 1n. Fig. 8 aV planetary transmission is illustrated, it being understood that either may be employed according to use s of the car; the planetary being preferable for commercial cars and the selective gears being more adapted to pleasure vehicles or those for high speed purposes.

In Figs. 1 and 7 is shown a gear box 5 in which are mounted two shafts 6 and 7 A shaft 8 connects the engine shaft 4 with the transmission shaft 6, and has universal joints 9 and 10 at its ends. A slip joint may be provided between one of the universal joint members and the shaft to permit endwise movement. A connecting shaft ll-runs from one end of the driven gear shaft 7 to the front differential member, and is provided with universal joints 112 and 12 at its ends,

one of which is preferably a slip joint proL viding endwise movement.y A- similar shaft 13 connects with the other end of the gear shaft 7 by universal joint 14 while its otherend connects by a universal joint 15 with the differential member on the rear axle. In the usual formof gear transmissiomthe driving and the driven shaft are constantly in mesh being connected by gears, but in the form illustrated the shafts are not always connected, but fixed gears on the d riven shaft are-engaged successively by slldmg gear members splined on the drivin shaft whereby different speeds 'can/ be o tamed forward, and also atreverse/gan be connected. The gearshaft 7 is sho 1f/as provided wlth gears a, b, c, d and e Rt are fast on the shaft. A pair of connected gears a', b", are slidable on the shaft 6 but' connected to rotate therewith. When this gear member 1s movedv endwise by suitable connecting bar' member having gears c and d 'can mesh alternately with the gears c and d giving the lower speeds. A` gear r mounted on a suitable stub shaft 1" meshes with the gear e; and a sliding gear e onthe shaft 6 is slidable into engagement. with the gear 7' giving the reverse. By thismeans the driven shaft 7 can be operated at four different speeds from the shaft 6, or can be moved in the reverse direction.

Where it is desired to use a planetary transmission, the arrangement can be as shown in Fig. 8 in which a planetarytransmission P is connected directlywith the driving shaft 4. A gear arrangement is shown in which there are two shafts 6 and 7 continuously connected by gears A and B. An inclined shaft 8 connects the planetary gear system with the shaft 6 and in the same manner as the 'shaft 8, using universal joints. And inclined shafts 12 and 13' connect with the driven shaft 7 similarly to the described shafts 11 and 13 using universal joint connections and slip joints.

If an electric motor or a steam engine were could be placed in the gear box member 5,

the shaft of the motor correspondin with the shaft 7, connecting at its ends with the respective shafts 11 and 13 by the joints 14 and 112.I In such case-the shaft 6 of the gear box would be omitted and the connecting shaft 8; and in place of the motor 3.the storage batteries could be substituted.

The shafts running to each axle member connect with the live axle thereof running to each of the Wheels, and in this arrangement the four wheels are used for drivin as well as for steering. The connection o these shafts is preferably through a differ- '.ential to provide for the usual different 'speeds of the two wheels driving to facilitate the turning. Preferably the front and rear drivin mechanisms are substantially identical an a description of one will answer for both. Referring particularly to Figs. 3-6 the axle member comprises the axle proper that is denoted by 20 and is .shown in the form of an invertedarch, at each end having a yoke member 21 and 22 forming a part o the knuckle joint of the wheels 23 and 24. The spring seatsare arran ed at each end fof the, curved ortion 20 an preferably consist of pivote boxes 25 and 26 to which the springs 27 are clamped, which arrangement will permit a slight swinging or turning movement. Each of the wheel members is shown as having a yoke portion 28 -connected with the' hub that is pivoted to the yoke member 21 of the axle, on an masas axis that is preferably vertical. In the construction illustrated each end of the yoke rotates preferably having ball or roller bearings thereon as shown at 33. The Wheel is rotatably secured on the sleeve 31 by means of one or more nuts 34 screwed onto the threaded end of the sleeve. A spindle 35 projects into the sleeve 31 and through the yoke 28, and may have a ball bearing 36 adjacent the yoke. At its other end this spindle is secured to the hub'to cause rotation of the wheel. In the construction illustrated the spindle has a square end' 371 on which is slipped a lock plate 38 having a rectangular opening 39 to engage the square end of the spindle. This lock plate 38 is in the nature of a clutch member having teeth 40 that enter corresponding sockets or recessesin the outer end of the hub 32. By this means a rotation of the spindle 35 will cause the rotation of the wheel. But should the clutch plate become loosened the Wheel could not come off of the journal member 31 by reason of the-lock nuts 34 holding it securely in position. At the other end of the axle the wheel-hub 24 is connected with the yoke member 22 in the same manner and the hub is carried on ball bearings on the `yoke sleeve by similar construction and spindle 3.62 similar to the spindle 35 is rigidly connected with the hub to drive the Wheel. At the middle of the axle member is shown a differential device connected with one of the thereto that meshes with a bevel gear 42 011 the end of a shaft 43 mounted in bearings 44 in the housing. The shaft 43 has the universal joint connection 12l with the shaft 11. The frame 38 contains the differential member that is shown separately in Fig. 6 comprising two stub shafts 422 and 432 rota table in the frame. Bevel gears 49 and 50 are attached to these stub shafts or a part thereof their hubs 44 and 45, having bearings 46 'and 47 in the housing 38, and these bevel gears mesh with the planetary gears 51 an 52 that are pivotally carried by the frame 38 and mounted radially therein in the usual manner of differential gearing; the pinions of the gears being carried by ring member 53. The stub shafts 422 and 432 may have s uared ends 54 and 55 tting into the square sockets of the gears 49 and 50, and the opposite ends of the shafts are threaded and are locked to the gears by nuts 56 and 57. The stub shaft 432 connects with an axial shaft 58 by universal joint 59; while the end of shaft 58` connects with the spindle 362 by universal joint 60, by which means the hub 24 is driven. On-the op osite side a shaft 61 connects by universa joint 62 with the stub shaft 422 gwhile the other end v on the knuckle joints for steering, the universal joints 63 and 60 bein in alinement with the axis of the knuckle joints will stilldrive the wheels throughthe differential.

that will permit of different s eeds for the wheels for turning in the usua manner. -It will beobserved that theyokes 21 and 22 have openings 64 and` 65 through which the 4 shafts 58 and 61 freely pass which arrangement will permit ofvlateral movement of these shafts. The inverted-arch axle 20 is provided with apertures 200 that aline with the apertures 64 and 65 in the yoke members 21 and 22, through which apertures project the live axle portions58 and 61, as shown in Fig. 4. These two shafts have a slip joint at their universal connections 59 and 62 to permit endwise movement.

At the rear end ofthe vehicle a substantially identical arrangement is used in which there is a mainaxle 70 having yoke members 71 and 72 at `its ends pivoted to yokes 73 and 74 constituting knuckle jointsV for the wheels 742 and 75. A differential mechanism 7 6 identical with that just described the vehicle is driven b all our of its wheels and through differential mechanism, permitting different relativespeeds of each pair of wheels, and each of the wheels is constructed to swing for'steering purposes,.yet acts as a driving wheel in all positions.

Means are alsov provided by which the wheels can be swung simultaneously for steering the vehicle'from a single steering member such as a steering ost. The front yoke or knuckle members o the wheels have arms 85 and 86connected by a bar 87. The f rear yokes have arms 88 and 89 connected by av bar 90. 'l These members may also have arms 91 and 92 connected by a bar 93 at the front, and arms 94 and 95 connected by barA 96 at the rear for strengthening purposes. sector 9 8 meshing with a gear 99 on a steering ost 100 by which this shaft is turned. At t e rear, this shaftjcarries an arm 1002 (see Fig. 10) pivoted to a bar 101 at one end while the other end of the bar connects A longitudinal shaft 97 carries a' at 1012 by universal joint with the arm 89. v

At the other end of the shaft an arm 102 connects by a link. 103 through universal joint 104 with the arm 85. By the turning of the shaft by the steering post, these steering connections will swing the arms rgidl connected with the knuckle joints and sim taneously swing. the four wheels; It will be observed that the connecting bar 101 leads in one direction from theshaft while the I connectingvbar 103 leads -in the opposite direction. This will result in the wheels' on the same side of the vehicle swinging in opposite directions" on their pivots, which 1s the proper operation to correctly steer the vehicle 'and which lull effectually prevent the skidding action,-nd permit very short turning of the vehicle. The extra bars are not necessary for such o eration, but add greatly tothe strength o the steering con-l nection and resist bending or twisting of the L members'. Y

Having thus described vmy invention, Iv

claim In a motor vehicle, the combination of a pair of wheel members each carrying a yoke,

a pair of yoke members each pivotally connected with said wheel yoke members swing .on a substantially verticalaxis, said latter yoke members havingpat the top a lateral projection extending .inwardly and carrying a spring seat, amain axle of inverted-arch shape secured at its extremities to said yoke projections, each of the axle yoke members aving an aperture at its middle portion, said mam axle having an a' erture therein at each end portion in a mementwith said apertures in the yokes, a live axle passing through said four apertures, and being connected with the wheel members by universal joints in alinement with the plvotal yoke connections, a differential member carried bythe inverted-arch axle-at its middle portion, and universal joints connecting the differential member with the vlive axle portions, said live axle portions having free movement in the .said apertures in the inverted axle and in the yokes.

BERNARD A. ALPEiuN.

Witnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, HENRY E. GnEENwoon.. v 

